A New Year of School
by Kayozuki
Summary: Their second year of high school had started, and the worst thing that could happen to high school friends happened. Being assigned to different classes.


Saaya leaned against the back of her chair, absent-mindedly twiddling her fingers around a sticky note which had lost most of its adhesiveness. Scribbled upon its azure, crisp surface was a single sentence in a huge font that took up the entire page, immaculately written with a black marker:

 _Let's go home together after school today._

The steady breeze tugged at the ribbon which loosely tied her ponytail together, as she stared vacantly at the sakura flowers in full bloom, flowing along to the rhythm of the billowing waves of wind. It was only the first week of school, but Friday's history class felt as dreary as she had always remembered it to be. In truth, it wasn't the subject that was causing her to lose focus. Too many major incidents had occurred recently, and she was floundering, struggling to adapt to these developments. The new school year had started, and she wasn't here to accompany Saaya as often as she would've wanted.

Hanazono Tae, that was.

It came as a shock to the girls in the band that only Tae was assigned to a different class in their second year. Saaya distinctly remembered the first day of school, when the group of five were huddled around the name list, eyes darting nervously through the lengthy columns, bracing for the worst. Arisa had heaved an audible sigh of relief when she discovered the names of Kasumi, Rimi and herself, lined up one after the other, before snapping right back into denial as Kasumi hugged her tightly, exuberantly screaming her head off in her euphoria.

Meanwhile, Saaya's heart pounded furiously as she scanned the shortening register of unchecked names. An ardent sensation rippled through her gut when she spotted her name being dead last on the final row. She wasn't sure how to react.

Tae's name wasn't on the sheet of paper.

The guitarist's expression had remained inscrutable, as with most situations, when she found her name on a separate list a few minutes later. Saaya offered her condolences with the other girls, promising that they would still meet up during school breaks for lunch, and for practice. Tae merely acknowledged their concerns with a vague smile, reassuring the band that things would not change.

She should be relieved; exhilarated that she would be in the same class as three other members of Poppin'Party. Wasn't this the same as the previous year? Arisa and Tae had swapped positions this year, so it should feel the same. Right?

Deep down, Saaya knew that was not true.

Still, she couldn't deduce anything from the note. Why would Tae write her a message when she could've just asked her directly?

"O-Tae," she posed the question later in the day, in a manner she hoped was composed enough. "How has the first week of school been for you?"

There was silence as the pair sat in the empty train, save for the vehicle's rumbling as it trundled through the city. Kasumi and Arisa had to stay behind to help out with the student council, and Rimi had rushed home earlier to assist her elder sister, Yuri, pack for her overseas trip to study for college. If anything, Saaya was astonished at Kasumi's decision to join the student council, and bewildered at Arisa's, though grudgingly so, to accompany Kasumi. It was uncommon for the keyboardist to voluntarily take a gig this big, especially when it involved social interaction with the entire student body. It might have been Arisa's attempt to break out of her introverted shell, but the drummer suspected another factor at play.

"Hey… Were you listening?" Saaya repeated, shaking her friend in mock exasperation. This was normal though; she had lost count at the number of times Tae had drifted off to Hanazono Land to lose herself amidst her daydreams.

The guitarist shrugged in response, her waist-length hair lightly tickling Saaya's ear. "It's been alright. Nothing much has changed, other than our new homeroom teacher being irritating. Sounds like an old hag sometimes, and loves to call out people who aren't paying attention. Or sleeping."

"Or daydreaming," Saaya added, smirking. "I assume you were one of her victims then."

"Yup. Terrible woman."

More silence.

This wasn't getting anywhere... She would just have to be more direct.

"O-Tae," Saaya said, mustering the effort not to trip up on her words, her eyes resolutely fixed forward. The rays of the evening sunset glared back in retaliation, its fiery scarlet shade momentarily blinding her at random intervals as the train weaved between the surrounding buildings and trees.

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure you're not feeling lonely in class?"

Tae's green eyes blinked questioningly as her head swivelled to face the drummer.

"What is it?" Saaya rebutted a little more defensively than she would've liked, as she continued to focus her gaze ahead, unconsciously watching a flock of doves soar past the grimy windows of the carriage.

"Why would you think that?"

"Y'know..." Saaya mumbled, fumbling around for a satisfactory explanation. "You aren't exactly the most social creature out there, thrown into a class of new and unfamiliar faces. It probably doesn't really bother you, but—"

"Here," Tae interrupted. She extended her hand, resting her outstretched palm on Saaya's lap.

"Eh?"

"Hand. Hold it."

"Sure... but why?" Saaya questioned slowly, her pulse incrementally rising in rate with every word uttered.

"You'll know why when you hold it."

"Fine..." The drummer sighed, stretching her arm out. Tae was displaying what she does best again, by exuding her mysteriousness through her actions and words. Not that she was against it or anything.

She edged her hand toward Tae's ever so slightly, until she felt her fingertips brush the guitarist's wrist. She unfurled her fingers and let Tae slip around hers until she could feel the warmth of the two palms pressing against one another. Slowly, her friend tightened her grip, gradually intensifying the heat. Dumbly, Saaya noticed a jolt of electricity surging through her fingers from the point of contact, transporting a sense of mellowness to her chest. It was always the same with her. Nobody else made her feel like that.

There was that sore temptation to rub her thumb against the smooth, back-side of Tae's hand, but Saaya held herself back. She couldn't imagine, and didn't fancy Tae forming a weird impression of her of all people. It was odd to her, since this wasn't the first time they have held hands. In fact, a multitude of times it had been done before: performing their band cheer before lives, lining up to thank their audience after lives, while watching fireworks during Tanabata, not to mention other occasions that she couldn't remember off the top of her head.

But she always felt this way with her. This restlessness which couldn't be shaken off, which had only progressively amplified since the week started.

Tae lifted their hands up, blocking out the sizzling beams of light from the dipping sun. Saaya took a few moments to appreciate the silhouette of Tae's slender fingers, outlined sharply and wrapped snugly around hers. She wished she didn't have to let go. She didn't want to.

"-and it has been said that the level of warmth of the hands correlates directly to the degree of loneliness a person is feeling," Tae rattled off, as Saaya snapped back to reality. She was silently thankful that she managed to catch the important part of her friend's speech.

"So… what did you feel, then?"

"Comfy and toasty. Didn't you feel it? With you, there's nothing to be lonely about." Tae replied casually, as she gently rocked their linked hands back and forth.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"This… correlation you're talking about… it's actually genuine? It's scientifically proven?" Saaya inquired disbelievingly, her eyebrow curled upwards in doubt. Inwardly, she was restraining herself to ignore the last part of Tae's answer. It was not what she was thinking. Definitely not. She wasn't going to let herself get carried away.

"Yes. I'm the one who said it. And since it works for me, then it has to be true."

"I'll believe you then, O-Tae-sensei," Saaya giggled.

It dawned upon her that she was needlessly worrying for her band member. Still, even with that revelation, the emotional baggage tugging at her wasn't alleviated in the slightest. She was confused. Tae was fine. If that's the case, what was this unsettling uneasiness that was constantly nagging at her?

"So, why would you think that I was lonely anyway?" Tae repeated her question, eventually disentangling Saaya's hand from hers. The drummer balled her fist and shoved it in her pocket, but it was a disparate feeling. A poor substitute for the waning tenderness evaporating from her fingertips.

"Well…" Saaya trailed off. She wasn't even sure what to say anymore. Not that it mattered, since Tae had her head rested against the drummer's shoulders, and her eyes shut.

She looked down gingerly. The lines of care and toil had virtually disappeared, the wrinkles of concentration vanished from Tae's glossy complexion. Eyelids closed against the orange hue of the sky and her breathing deep and slow; the muscles on her face devoid of any stress. The faint scent of morning shampoo still wafted around her long, sleek hair. She looked stunningly beautiful.

"Didn't you read the note that I pasted on your desk before class started today?" Tae murmured suddenly.

"Oh… I did. What was that about, anyway? We would've gone home together even if you didn't write that note."

"Did you read the entire thing?"

"What d'you mean?" Saaya asked perplexedly. "There was only one sentence written on the paper."

"There's the other side to read as well."

Saaya tilted her head curiously. "But nobody writes on the other side. That's the side that gets pasted on."

Tae clicked her tongue dismissively, her eyes still closed. "It's a waste of paper not to utilise it to its full capabilities. Think of the trees that were sacrificed for us."

"Alright, alright…" Saaya conceded, reaching for her backpack on her other side, being acutely aware of Tae's head bouncing up and down her shoulder as she rummaged through the pockets for the note.

Pushing away the obstructing textbooks and stationery, she pulled the crumpled ball from the depths of her bag a few seconds later. She was intrigued. What was so important that couldn't be said verbally, and had to be written down? She steadily unraveled the note, taking care not to rip the piece while doing so. The answer burned intensely into her vision and memory as she smoothened the creases out.

 **I LOVE YOU.**

"W-what…?"

Saaya couldn't believe her eyes.

"Mmm… I did say I wasn't going to be lonely when I have you with me," Tae uttered drowsily. She extended her arm for the second time as she cuddled up to her companion. "Here. Hand."

"H-hey! It's not fair when you confess like this all of a sudden! Who even does it like this?! At least hear me out— O-Tae!"

She exhaled slowly. It was too late. The girl had already fallen into a deep slumber.

Despite her earlier protest, Saaya's hand had already unconsciously slinked its way towards Tae's once more, entwining their arms together. That familiar sensation of warmth and comfort embraced her yet again. Only this time, she could feel it emanating from her hand. She felt so safe, so secure like this. In that instant, she realised it. Her true feelings.

Maybe Tae was indeed a scientist after all.


End file.
